West Ham United will return to Europa League action on Thursday evening when they make the trip to face Olympiacos at the Karaiskakis Stadium.
West Ham United travel to Greece to lock horns with Olympiacos on Thursday evening with the chance to move to the verge of qualification for the Europa League knockout stages.
The Hammers suffered their biggest defeat of the season, a 4-1 loss away at Aston Villa over the weekend. David Moyes’s side are now winless in their last two matches, which leaves them ninth in the Premier League table, though they are still just two points off sixth-place Newcastle United.
The East London outfit have had a considerably more successful run in European competitions in recent years, reaching the Europa League semi-finals in 2022 before winning the UEFA Europa Conference League last season.
This time out, the Irons have won two out of two to sit atop Europa League Group A this season, winning 3-1 at home against Serbian side TSC Backa Topola on the opening day before a 2-1 victory in Freiburg three weeks ago.
This week sees them come up against an Olympiacos side, who lost to Freiburg at home earlier in this competition but were perhaps unfortunate not to get something out of that game. The visitors are currently at the top of the Greek Super League, having dropped only two points in their seven matches this season.
However, they have not been able to produce similar results in Europe. They blew away a two-goal lead to draw away at TSC Backa Topola in their Europa League opener, and followed it up with a 3-2 defeat at home to Freiburg, which leaves them third in Group A.
Team News & Tactics
Olympiacos
🔴⚪🗣️ Martinez: "We need to put on a perfect display if we want to beat such a high-level opponent".
____________🔴⚪🗣️ Μαρτίνεθ: «Πρέπει να κάνουμε το τέλειο παιχνίδι αν θέλουμε να κερδίσουμε τον αντίπαλο που είναι πολύ υψηλού επιπέδου».#Olympiacos #UEL #OLYWHU pic.twitter.com/M48bs9ixbe
— Olympiacos FC (@olympiacosfc) October 25, 2023
Olympiacos’s Super League clash with Panathinaikos had to be abandoned on the weekend early in the second half with the score at 1-1 due to Juankar having to be taken to the hospital after being struck by a firework. The 33-year-old Spaniard, who plays primarily at left-back, is unlikely to be available for selection here.
Andreas Ndoj, who was sent off against TSC last time out, misses out through suspension, while Olympiacos manager Diego Martinez has a few injury concerns to deal with ahead of his team’s meeting with West Ham.
The hosts look set to miss out on the services of defender Nicolas Freire, who is dealing with muscular problems. Midfielder Santiago Hezze is also out, as is full-back Doron Leidner, who suffered a cruciate ligament injury.
Omar Richards will once again miss out on Thursday evening, as he is still dealing with a long-term thigh injury and yet to make his debut since completing a loan switch from Premier League outfit Nottingham Forest. Likewise, Olympiacos have also confirmed that former PSG starlet Bandiougou Fadiga will not feature here.
Daniel Podence, on loan from Wolves, should start though, with the winger one to watch in attack, having scored four goals and two assists in six games already for his new club. Ayoub El Kaabi has been in fine form for club and country this season, with the Moroccan netting ten times in 13 meetings. He scored twice in the loss to Freiburg and will be eager to get on the scoresheet here.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Paschalakis; Rodinei, Retsos, Porozo, Quini; Camara, Hezze; Masouras, Fortounis, Podence; El Kaabi
West Ham United
Aaron Cresswell and Ben Johnson are inching closer to resolving their respective injury issues and have a chance of being involved in the squad for this Europa League encounter. West Ham boss David Moyes could freshen things up and make wholesale changes to the side that was on the pitch from kick-off in last weekend’s humiliating defeat to Aston Villa in the Premier League.
Gearing up for Greece ⚒️ pic.twitter.com/GZdUZGPMvK
— West Ham United (@WestHam) October 25, 2023
After losing his spot as West Ham’s domestic number-one this season, former Poland international Lukasz Fabianski will return between the sticks here. Former Stuttgart defender Konstantinos Mavropanos played no part in that game and will therefore be one of those who could benefit from this reshuffle.
Summer signing Mohammed Kudus has impressed when he has been given a chance and could get another chance to shine from the start here. The red-hot Jarrod Bowen will have a crucial role to play in midweek. The one-time Hull City starlet will be joined in the final third by Michail Antonio, who wasn’t at the races at the weekend.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Fabianski; Coufal, Mavropanos, Aguerd, Kehrer; Soucek, Ward-Prowse; Bowen, Kudus, Benrahma; Antonio
Key Stats
- This will be just the third meeting between the two sides, with Olympiacos winning one and drawing the other.
- Olympiacos are on a four-game unbeaten streak (W3 D1).
- Olympiakos haven’t drawn a blank at home since February, a run stretching 14 games.
- The visitors have kept a clean sheet just once in their last four home games.
- Olympiacos have won seven of their eight home matches, with the exception of the Freiburg defeat last month.
Player to Watch
Jarrod Bowen
After successfully delivering the goods for West Ham United in the final ever since signing from Hull City, Jarrod Bowen will stay with the West London side until 2030, having penned the new long-term contract recently.
Hero of the Hammers’ UEFA Europa Conference League triumph last term, the England international grabbed West Ham’s consolation at Villa Park and looks like a good contender for a goal in Greece. The 26-year-old has already hit six goals from ten appearances across all boards this season and can get off the mark in the Europa League after registering an assist at Freiburg.
Prediction
Olympiacos 1-1 West Ham United
Eventually slumping to a disappointing 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Aston Villa over the weekend, West Ham United will be desperate to claim an immediate response in Europe.
Olympiacos have been near perfect at home and need to go for it, as a draw probably won’t be enough to help them qualify for the knockout stages. This should be another tight game, but West Ham are experienced operators at this level now, and a draw looks likely.
